The Road Not Taken
by Misha
Summary: An AU. Four years ago Sonny Corinthos' world was shattered by the death of his wife Brenda, now after he's finally rebuilt his life, the appearance of Luis Alcazar and a mystery woman threatens to shatter it once more...
1. Prologue

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters of General Hospital. They belong to the creators of General Hospital, Wendy Riche, Bob Guza, ABC Daytime, and probably a lot of other people with more money than me. I'm not making any money off this story so please don't sue me. 

Author's Notes- This is an alternate universe Sonny and Brenda story. In this Sonny never left Brenda at the alter, never left Port Charles at all. This story is a retelling of the current Alcazar story line with the twist that Brenda was Sonny's wife, not Jax's fiancee when she disappeared. This is going to be a long and complex story, focusing on my all-time favorite General Hospital pairing, but with some others thrown in for good measure, including Jason and Robin. Well, that's all for now, enjoy! 

Summery- An AU. Four years ago Sonny Corinthos' world was shattered by the death of his wife, now after he's finally rebuilt his life, the appearance of Luis Alcazar and a mystery woman threatens to shatter it once more... 

Rating- PG-13   


* * *

Prologue

On the night of Sonny and Brenda's wedding, he had been going to leave her, but in the end, realized he couldn't do it. 

He couldn't hurt her like that. More than that, he couldn't go through the rest of his life without her, missing her every day, hating himself for what he had thrown away. 

So, the wedding went through as planned, but Sonny told Brenda that they didn't have to leave Port Charles, that they could stay and live their life together there. 

Because of that, Jason didn't take over the reigns of the organization. Brenda didn't have her nervous breakdown, so Robin wasn't flown home. 

However, since he wasn't running the organization, Jason went to Paris to see if they could work out their differences. They did and Jason chose to stay in Paris until Robin finished her school year. 

Because of Jason's absence, Carly never named him as Michael's father (though she still called the baby Michael--but only because she liked the name) and instead admitted that it was A.J. 

The two of them had difficulties at first, but then realized that their son came first and put their differences aside to do what was best for Michael. 

Robin and Jason returned to Port Charles just as Brenda gave birth to a beautiful baby daughter, Adella Lily Corinthos, Addie for short. 

Sonny and Brenda were both elated at the birth of their little girl, but their happiness was short lived. 

Veronica came to town and despite Sonny's attempts, contacted Brenda. Becoming a mother herself had made Brenda more curious about her own mother. So, she decided to get to know her. 

When she discovered that Veronica was sick, Brenda was frightened about the possibility that she and her daughter could inherit the disease, but she was also determined not to let her mother go through this alone. 

She went after her mother, deciding to bring her back to Port Charles to live in the Penthouse, but it was not to be. On the way back, Veronica seized control of the car, driving it into the sea. 

The search effort went on for days, but to no avail. There was no sign of Brenda, but she was presumed dead. 

Sonny was devastated at the death of his wife, only Addie kept him from falling apart. He knew that she needed him and that Brenda would want him to be strong for their daughter. 

The first several months were terrible for Sonny, but in time, he slowly got better. 

Brenda's death still haunted him, he still ached for her, but he wasn't as shattered as he had been. He was able to live again, like he knew that Brenda would want him too. 

Several months after Brenda's death, Jason and Robin married and she finished school. They had considered leaving Port Charles, but in the end, stayed for Sonny and Addie. 

At the same time, Carly and A.J started having major problems. Carly was sick of the Quartermaine interference in Michael's life and was terrified that she was going to lose her son, so she went to Jason for help. 

Since he considered her his friend, he agreed. He and Sonny helped her secure custody of Michael and she moved out of the mansion with her son. Sonny offered to let her stay with him for at least little while. 

Since Addie and Michael were close in age, the two became instant playmates. 

And soon, Carly's temporary living arrangements became less than temporary. In time, she and Sonny realized that they had fallen in love. 

Three years after Brenda's death, Sonny married Carly. 

He realized he would always grieve for Brenda, always love her, but she was gone and she would want him to love again. He truly loved Carly, never in the way he had loved Brenda, but he loved her just the same and wanted to make a life with her. 

Sonny and Carly had their share of problems, but the first year of their marriage was a happy one all the same. 

Still, as the fourth anniversary of Brenda's death approached, things were tense. 

Sonny found himself at war with a man named Alcazar who had an unknown vendetta against him. A full out war was exploding and Sonny was afraid for his family's safety. He had already lost Brenda, he didn't want to lose anyone else. 

As things got tenser and tenser, Sonny sent Addie and Michael out of the country to safety, but Carly refused to go. 

She said that her place was with Sonny and nothing would change that. 

Meanwhile, Brenda survived the accident. 

She had been saved by Luis Alcazar, who nursed her back to health. 

As she was recovering, Brenda discovered that she had inherited her mother's disease and made a heartbreaking decision. 

Since her loved ones already believed that she was dead, she would stay that to save them the pain of watching her slowly go insane. So, she agreed to stay with Luis, and let the world believe that Brenda Barrett-Corinthos was dead, as long as he promised her that he would never let her hurt the people she loved. 

For four years, he kept that promise and they lived together in high style. Brenda missed Sonny and their daughter every moment of every day, but she knew it was for the best. 

Then, she discovered that Luis had taken them to Port Charles with the agenda of destroying Sonny. 

Brenda knew that she couldn't let that happen. 

She had learnt of Sonny's remarriage was actually glad that he had found happiness. That was all she wanted for him and for their daughter, besides, she knew that she could not stay in Port Charles. 

Her reasons for letting everyone believe that she was dead still existed, but she needed to warn Sonny and she wanted to see him one last time before she left his life once more. 

So she found a way to escape and on the fourth anniversary of the night she "died", she found her way back to Port Charles and made her way to contact the man she would always love... 

Her husband.   
*** 


	2. Part One

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter One

"Sonny?" 

Sonny turned to see his wife on the stairs. 

"What's wrong?" She asked, seeing that he was sitting on the couch, just staring into space. 

"I was just thinking." He told her softly. "Tonight..." 

"I know." Carly said quietly. "Sonny, you're allowed to mourn for her. She was your wife, Addie's mother, it would be wrong if you didn't still miss her." 

"Thank you." Sonny said softly. 

Carly wrapped her arms around him. "You're welcome. Sonny, I don't mind that you love her. I knew that she would always have a place in your heart when I married you and I know that that hasn't changed. But, it's okay, because I know that you love me too. You have enough love there for the both of us." 

Sonny didn't say anything, he just held Carly close to him. 

Suddenly, the door opened and Jason walked in. "I hate to bother you, but something's going down with Alcazar. And it's going down **now**." 

Sonny nodded. "What's happening?" He asked. 

"Alcazar's yacht blew up." Jason told him matter-of-factly. "Look out the window, you can see it burning." 

"Damn." Sonny muttered, getting up and going over to the window. Sure enough, the boat was in flames. "What happened?" 

"I have **no** idea." Jason told him. "But, it's time for us to make our move." 

"I agree." Sonny told him. "He's going down and if it can be tonight, then all the better." 

Just then, his phone rang. 

Carly went to grab it, but Sonny stopped her. He motioned and Carly nodded and left the room. 

"Hello?" He asked, picking it up. 

"Sonny?" A strange man asked. 

"Yes, who is this?" Sonny asked warily. 

"I'm calling on behalf of a friend of yours." The person on the other end said. "She says that what she has to tell you has to be said in person. She says that she has information on Alcazar and wants to meet you at St. Timothy's Church." 

"I'll be there." Sonny said, hanging up. He turned to Jason. "A woman wants me to meet her at St. Timothy's, she says she has information." 

"You think she's Alcazar's woman?" Jason asked. 

"I'm thinking that there's a good chance." Sonny told him. "Either Alcazar is baiting me, or--" 

"She's fed up and has decided to talk." Jason said slowly. 

Sonny nodded. "Whatever it is, it's worth checking out."   
*** 

Brenda stood in St. Timothy's, waiting for Sonny to come through that door. 

She had chosen St. Timothy's without thinking about it. 

But, when she did have time to think it about, she knew that it was perfect. This was where they had gotten married. What better place for them to meet again? 

Brenda looked around. 

She had been so happy that night so long ago. It was so strange to think all the twists and turns that life would take only a year after she stood in this church as Sonny's bride. 

And now, five years later, they were about to come face to face again for the first time in four years. 

Life had taken them on such a different path than the one she had imagined on that night here so long ago. 

She was dying and had been forced to give up her friends and family to save them the pain of watching her slowly go insane. 

While, Sonny had suffered her "death", but then had moved on with his life, remarrying and finding happiness again. His life had continued without her. 

And she was glad. All she had ever really wanted was for Sonny to be happy and since she couldn't give him that happiness, she was glad that he had found someone who could. 

And she would tell him that. She would tell him everything and then she would disappear from his life forever. 

She knew that it was wrong for her to see him, to cause him pain when he had finally moved on, but she couldn't help it. 

She couldn't not see him. 

She had spent four years aching for the sight of him and now she was finally going to see him again. 

It was too precious to her for her to not do it. 

Carly would have the rest of Sonny's life, surely, she, Brenda, could have one more moment. Was that too much to ask? 

She closed her eyes as she waited and let the memories of a time when Sonny had been hers wash over her.   
*** 

Carly stood in the Penthouse, rearranging things just to give herself something to do. 

She couldn't dismiss the feeling of dread in her stomach about what was going to happen. Something big was going to happen tonight. Something that would change her life forever, she could feel it. 

She wished that Sonny would have listened to her, but he was determined and nothing she could do would stop him. 

Her hand stilled on a picture of Addie and Michael together. 

Carly smiled sadly. She really missed the kids. She knew that it was best that they were out of the way, but God did she missing having them with her. 

She loved them so much. 

Carly looked at Addie's beautiful little face and not for the first time, she felt a pang of longing. 

She wanted to be Addie's mother. 

Oh, she was the one who was raising her her, who was there for all the moments in Addie's life, who felt Addie's affection. 

But she wasn't her mother. 

No, Addie was Brenda's daughter and always would be. Even if Addie couldn't remember her mother, she was so like her that it was almost scary. 

Besides, Sonny made a point of telling Addie all about Brenda and how much she had loved her. 

Carly honestly wasn't jealous of Sonny's love for his dead wife. 

She knew that he had worshipped Brenda and that he would always love her. 

No, if Carly begrudged the dead woman anything, it was her place as Addie's mother. 

Sonny couldn't bear to have that tarnished. She, Carly, was his wife, but she would never take Brenda's place as Addie's mother. 

And Carly respected that. After all, Brenda had been the one to bring Addie into the world and it was right for Addie to know who her mother had been. 

But Carly still wished that she could have been Addie's mom. 

She loved the little girl like her own, but was always very much aware that she wasn't. 

Carly sighed and put the picture down. 

She shook her head. 

It was wrong for her to begrudge Brenda anything, after all she had lived such a short time and hadn't been able to watch her daughter grow up. 

No, Brenda might be Addie's mother, but she certainly hadn't been the lucky one. And Carly hated feeling jealous when the truth was so very sad. 

Besides, Brenda was dead and Carly was very much alive and she had a good life. 

It just felt weird that that life had had to come at the price of another woman's life.   
*** 

The limo pulled up at St. Timothy's. 

"Are you ready?" Jason asked. 

"In a minute." Sonny told him, taking a deep breath. "This place... The last time I was here was the night I married Brenda." 

"I know." Jason told him softly. 

"To be here, tonight of all nights..." Sonny shook his head. "It brings back a lot of memories." 

"We can leave." Jason told him. "We don't have to go in." 

"No." Sonny said. "I'm sick of this, one way or another--it ends tonight." 

"I hear you." Jason agreed. "I want my wife back." 

Sonny smiled slightly. "At least yours agreed to go. Mine was determined to stay in the line of fire." 

"Robin only went because she's six months into a very difficult pregnancy." Jason pointed out. "If it hadn't been for the baby, there's no way she would have gone." 

Sonny nodded, then he sighed. "Let's do it." 

The two men got out of the limo and headed into the church. 

"Stay behind." Sonny instructed Jason as they headed towards the doors. "Let me go in first." 

"What if it's a trap?" Jason asked. 

Sonny smiled grimly. "Then it's a trap. Jason, trust me on this one, I have a feeling that I need to do this one on my own." 

Jason nodded and stopped. 

Sonny continued on, he opened the doors and entered the church. He saw the woman's back, standing near the front of the church. 

"Hello." He said softly. 

The woman turned at the sound of his voice. 

Sonny stared at her in shock. 

"Brenda?" He asked finally, unable to believe his eyes. "Is that you?"   
*** 


	3. Part Two

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Two

"Yes." She whispered, tears in her eyes. "It's me." 

Sonny stared at her. For fours years, he had fantasized about Brenda coming back to him and there she was. 

"How?" He asked hoarsely. 

"It's a long story." She told him softly. "Sonny, you're in danger. That's why I came to you. I couldn't let you be hurt." 

"But you could let me believe for four years that the woman I adored was dead?" Sonny demanded of her. "Do you know how much I agony I went through without you?" 

Brenda turned away. 

"It was for the best." She whispered. "I thought a clean break was better. By the time I had recovered from the accident--you already thought I was dead. And I discovered I was sick. I figured it was easier for you to think I was dead then for you to have to watch me go through that." 

Sonny shook his head, suddenly very angry. He grabbed Brenda by the shoulders and turned her around, so she was face to face with him and they were only a few inches apart. 

"I promised to love you through sickness and health." He reminded her angrily. "And I meant those vows." 

"I know." Brenda whispered. "But you also thought that death had already parted us and it just seemed so simple. I wanted you to be happy, Sonny, and you are. You have a wife you love, a happy family." 

"Now!" Sonny said angrily. "But for so long, I had nothing. Only the memory of a woman I adored. A woman I thought I had lost forever!" 

"And you had our daughter." Brenda reminded him softly. "You had something. I had nothing, only the desire not to hurt the people I loved more than I had to." 

"So why come back now?" He asked bitterly. "Why not just let us keep believing that you were dead?" 

"That was the plan." Brenda said softly. "But, Sonny, you're in danger. Luis, he wants you dead." 

"That's another thing I don't get, how did you end up with him?" Sonny questioned incredulously. 

"He saved me the night of the accident." Brenda told him quietly. "He nursed me back to health and comforted me when I learnt that I was dying. He promised me that he would keep me safe and keep me from hurting the people that I loved." 

"Apparently he lied." Sonny said bluntly, then he looked around. "We need to get out of here. He could come after you--He probably is coming after you." 

Brenda nodded. "Yeah." 

"Let's go." Sonny motioned for her to follow him out of the church. 

Silently, Brenda obeyed. 

Sonny stopped in front of the limo and helped her inside, before getting in himself. 

"How did it go?" Jason asked and then he stopped, his eyes widening. "Brenda." 

"Hey." She said softly. 

"_You're_ Alcazar's mystery woman?" Jason asked in disbelief. 

Brenda nodded. "Yes. I thought it was for the best." 

Jason just stared at her, then shook his head. 

"We can discuss this back at the Penthouse." Sonny said coolly. "Where it's safe." 

Jason nodded and so did Brenda. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. 

Sonny watched her carefully. It was so strange to see her sitting there, so close to him. Yet in a lot of ways, very far away. 

Brenda had been away from him for four years and that had been a lifetime. He wasn't the man he had been when she left, he had another life and other commitments. 

But, deep down, a tiny voice wondered if he was strong up to stand up to those commitments now that she had come home to him. 

He loved Carly very much, but she was not Brenda. She wasn't his first love, or all-consuming passion, nor was she the mother of his beloved daughter. 

Still, he would try to fight those feelings and Brenda would probably help. He doubted that she had any intention of sticking around. 

She had come home for a reason and would probably leave again afterwards. 

But, the question was, could he let her go again?   
*** 


	4. Part Three

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Three

Carly was waiting for Sonny and Jason when they returned. 

"How did it go?" She asked immediately as they entered the Penthouse. 

Then she stopped as she caught sight of the woman standing between them. Brenda. 

"Hello, Carly." Brenda said softly. She looked around the Penthouse. "I like what you've done here, it looks very nice." 

Carly just stared. Her husband's dead wife was standing in front of her, complimenting the decor? 

"How?" She asked in disbelief. 

"It's a long story." Sonny said tiredly. "One that we haven't finished getting to the bottom of yet. We figured that it was too risky to talk in the church, so we came here." 

Carly didn't know what to say. Then a question came into her head. "Where is she going to sleep?" 

"At Jason and Robin's." Brenda answered for Sonny. "We agreed that it would be best." 

Carly nodded. "Thank you." 

She couldn't deal with the idea of Brenda sleeping in her home. Especially not when she was forced to remember that this had been Brenda's home, long before it had been hers. 

Brenda suddenly picked up a picture frame and tears came into her eyes. 

"Is this?" She asked Sonny. 

Sonny nodded. "That's Addie." 

Brenda started to cry harder. "She's so beautiful." 

Sonny placed a hand on Brenda's shoulders. "She looks like you." He said softly, turning her towards him. 

"Sonny, you have to believe me, I wouldn't have given her up, if I hadn't truly believed it was for the best." She whispered. 

"I know." Sonny said quietly. "I know." 

Carly watched in horror as her husband took his former wife into his arms and held her close to him, comforting her. 

"Where is she?" Brenda asked quietly. 

"She and Michael are in Puerto Rico with Robin." Sonny told her. "I wanted to make sure that they were safe." 

"I'm glad." Brenda said quietly. 

She looked at the picture longingly, then put it down. 

"We need to talk." She said after a moment. "About Luis." 

Sonny nodded. "Yes." He looked at Carly. "Carly, can you leave us?" 

Carly nodded reluctantly and turned to go upstairs. 

She hated the thought of leaving Sonny alone with that woman. The woman he had once worshipped. 

This was her worst nightmare come true. Brenda had miraculously returned from the dead and had the power to ruin Carly's happy life. 

But Carly swore that she wouldn't let her. 

She couldn't.   
*** 

Brenda watched Carly and could feel the dislike radiating from the other woman. 

Not that she could blame her. If she was in Carly's shoes, she couldn't say that she'd be all that happy either. 

"How did you get involved with Alcazar?" Jason asked her immediately. 

"He rescued me the night of the accident." Brenda said quietly. "I thought I was going to die. I remember it all going black and my last thought being of Sonny and how I would never get to see him or Addie again. Then, I woke up and I was on a yacht and there was this man standing next to me. He introduced himself as Luis Alcazar and explained that he had saved me the night of the accident." 

"Why did you stay with him?" Jason asked. "I mean didn't it occur to you to want to come home?" 

"Of course!" Brenda exclaimed. "But... He told me that it had been a week since I had been rescued. I told who he was and he looked into it and told me that the world thought I was dead. My first instinct was to go home and let people know I was okay, but I wasn't strong enough at first. Luis said to give it a little bit more time and then he would take me back to Port Charles himself." 

She paused, trying to collect her thoughts. 

"He was very kind to me." She said softly. "He listened as I talked about my mother and about the illness. He offered to fly in a doctor to have me tested again, so I'd know for sure. I agreed. The results were positive, just like I feared. I was devastated and terribly afraid of what I would put you and Addie through, Sonny. I didn't know what to do." 

"So Alcazar stepped in?" Sonny guessed dryly. 

Brenda nodded. 

"He offered me an alternative. He told me that everyone believed I was dead and that if I wanted, we could keep it that way." She said softly. "That I could stay there with him and he would take care of me when I got sick. He would make sure that I never put my family through the Hell of watching me go crazy. I thought about it hard and then finally, I agreed. I couldn't stand the idea of letting Addie and you watch me become like my mother." 

Sonny just shook his head. "What then?" He asked finally. 

"Well, Luis and I, we weren't lovers at first." Brenda said. "At first, we were just friends. He said that he enjoyed my company and I enjoyed his. And it continued like that for a few years. Until, he brought my a newspaper clipping about your marriage and then I realized that I couldn't cling to the past. You had moved on and that was what I wanted for you, but I needed something myself. So Luis and I became lovers. I cared for him, but I never loved him." 

"I guess that counts for something." Sonny said sarcastically. 

Brenda sighed wearily. 

"Sonny, it wasn't an easy choice." She said softly. "But I made the decision, because I **had** to." 

"Were you aware that Alcazar is an international arms dealer?" Jason asked her. 

Brenda shook her head. "No. Luis never discussed business with me and you know, it's not like that was a change." 

She could see Sonny and Jason absorb her blow. 

"When did he decide to come to Port Charles?" Sonny asked her. 

"I don't know." Brenda said softly. "I'm on a lot of medication, because of my illness, I just knew that we had come here. And I heard him talking about killing you, Sonny, and knew that I had to warn you." 

"Are you going to go back to him?" Sonny asked softly. 

Brenda stared at Sonny, amazed by the question. 

"How can you ask that?" She whispered. "How can you imagine that I could continue to be with a man who tried to kill you?" 

"What are you going to do then?" Sonny asked softly. 

"I don't know." Brenda said softly. "I'll think of something." 

Sonny nodded. "You'll stay until Alcazar is caught?" 

"Yeah." Brenda answered. "Until then." 

Sonny stood up. "It's getting late." 

Brenda nodded. "Yeah, I'm exhausted." 

She and Jason both stood. 

"I'll get you settled." Jason offered, leading her out of the Penthouse. 

"Thank you." She whispered, she looked at Sonny. "Goodnight." 

"Goodnight." He whispered. 

She left the place that had once been her home and was now another woman's. It had been weird sitting there and seeing Carly's touch everywhere. 

Things had really changed.   
*** 

Sonny knew that he should go to bed. 

But he couldn't. Not yet. 

So he just stood at the window and stared out. 

Brenda had come back. She had stood in this apartment that had once been there home and held a picture of their daughter. 

He would have been inhuman for that to have not torn him apart. And even though there was a woman upstairs he loved very much, he still couldn't help but think about the woman across the hall. 

"Sonny?" 

He turned to see Carly standing on the stairs. 

"Hey." He said quietly. 

"Are you coming to bed?" She asked. 

"In a while." Sonny told her. "I have a lot on my mind." 

"You mean the miraculous return of Brenda?" Carly asked bitterly. 

"Carly..." Sonny began, he was not in the mood to get into this with her. 

"No." Carly said softly. "Don't. I understand, Brenda's come back, so I'm expendable." 

"She's not back forever." Sonny said exasperatedly. "Carly, she's dying and she doesn't want us to watch that happen. So, she's going to leave again. She just wanted to make sure that Addie and I were safe." 

"That might be what she wants. But are you going to be able to let her go?" Carly asked quietly. 

Sonny was silent. He didn't know how to answer that. 

"That's what I thought." Carly said quietly. "Well, I'll be upstairs if you need me." 

With that, she turned and headed back up the stairs. 

Sonny watched her go and then returned to staring out the window. 

He didn't know what to do or say any more. It was all so complicated.   
*** 


	5. Part Four

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Four

"I like what you've done with this place." Brenda commented as Jason showed her into the apartment. 

"It was mostly Robin." He told her. 

Brenda nodded. "Ah. How is Robin?" 

"Good." Jason told her. "Pregnant." 

Brenda stared at him. "Really?" 

She know how much Robin had wanted a baby, but there were so many risks... 

"Yeah, it's being monitored carefully. She really wants this baby." 

"I'm happy for her." Brenda said. "And for you." 

"Thanks." Jason said. "Brenda, Sonny's happy." 

"I know." Brenda said softly. "And I'm glad. Jason, don't worry. I have no intention of ruining Sonny and Carly's happiness. There's no point." 

Jason nodded. "I'm sorry." 

"It's okay." Brenda told him. "I've had four long years to adjust. To realize that I would never get to grow old with Sonny, that I would never see Addie become the beautiful woman I know that she will be. I've accepted it." 

"Addie's a sweetheart." Jason told her quietly. "You'd be proud of her." 

"I know." Brenda said softly. "And I'm sure Sonny's an excellent father, just like I always knew he would be." 

"He is." Jason confirmed. "Michael and Addie both worship him." 

Brenda paused. "Jason, does Addie... Does she call Carly 'Mommy'?" 

She didn't know if she could handle that. Handle her beautiful baby girl calling anyone else 'Mommy'. 

Jason shook his head. "No. She loves Carly, calls her Aunt Carly, but she knows that she's not her mother. Sonny tells her about you all the time, telling her that her Mommy loved her very much and wished that she could be with her, but that it wasn't possible." 

"No," Brenda agreed softly, "it wasn't." 

She shook her head. "It's hard, you know, being back here?" 

She bit her lip. "I never thought I'd see Port Charles again and I wish I hadn't. It reminds me of all that I don't have." 

She looked up at Jason. "Do you know how much I want to stay here. Be with Sonny and Addie? And how much it kills me to know that I can't have that? That it's better for everyone if I leave again?" 

She shook her head, as she started to cry. 

Jason just looked at her. "I'm sorry." He said softy. 

"So am I." Brenda said quietly. "So am I."   
*** 

Jason waited until he was sure Brenda was asleep, then he went across the hall to see Sonny. 

He wasn't surprised to see Sonny still up, staring out the window. 

"Sonny?" Sonny turned around at the sound of Jason's voice. 

"Hey." He said quietly. "Is Brenda settled in?" 

Jason nodded. "Yeah." 

Jason paused. "She asked about you and Addie. She asked me if Addie called Carly 'Mommy'." 

Sonny didn't say anything. 

"She seemed relieved when I said no." Jason said quietly. "Sonny, she was in tears. She said that coming back to Port Charles was too hard. That she was seeing what she wanted, but what she couldn't have." 

Jason paused. 

He had never liked Brenda and he honestly believed that Sonny was better off with Carly, but her words had gotten to him. He had felt her pain as she spoke of the husband and daughter she had given up for what she had believed to be their own good. She was suffering from losing the people that she loved. 

"Carly asked me if I'll be able to let her leave." Sonny said quietly. 

"What did you say?" Jason asked curiously. 

"I didn't answer." Sonny told him. "'Cause I don't know. How can I let her go again?" 

Jason was quiet for a long moment. 

"I don't know." He said finally. "But you might have to. Sonny, aren't you all better off if she goes?" 

"I don't know." Sonny answered softly. "I don't know. Maybe, but... My head and my heart disagree on this one. I'm happy, I love Carly and the life we have together, but... Jason, she's not Brenda and she never will be. And after four years of believing she was gone forever, fate gave me back the one woman I loved and desired above all else. How do I let her go without a fight?" 

Jason looked at his best friend and boss. He saw a light in Sonny's eyes that hadn't been there in four years. 

As much as he liked Carly and thought that she was better for Sonny, he was forced to admit that she had never been able to put that light there. 

"I don't know." He said finally. "I honestly don't know."   
*** 


	6. Part Five

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Five

"Did you sleep well?" 

Brenda looked in the direction the question had come from. Sonny was sitting at the edge of her bed. 

"I haven't slept well in four years." She told him honestly. "What about you?" 

"I didn't sleep at all." He told her, then he shook his head. "I was happy you know, I had my life in order. I missed you, but I had resigned myself to the fact that I would miss you for the rest of my life and I had gone on living. Then, you come back and everything collapses." 

"I didn't mean for that to happen." She told him sincerely. "I'm glad that you found happiness with Carly--I never wanted to interrupt that." 

Sonny laughed dryly. "Do you think you can come back into my life, if only for a moment, and things will go on a normal?" 

Sonny leaned forward and took Brenda's face into his hands, looking directly into her eyes. 

"All I have to do is look at you and I forget everything that's happened in the last four years." He told her passionately. "I love Carly, but when I look at you, you're all I see. It feels like I've been wandering these last four years and have just come home." 

Brenda threaded her fingers through Sonny's hair, just like she used to. 

"I've ached for the sight of you." She whispered. "I feel like I've been thirsty for the longest time and have been led back to water. All I want to do is drink in the sight of you, the feel." 

"When I watched you sleep, all I could think about was how much I missed that sight." Sonny confessed. "How you always hog the blankets and how you roll all over the place." 

"I do not." Brenda denied with a laugh. 

"You do." Sonny told her with a smile. "And there's nothing in the world more adorable. It was all I could not to join you and gather in my arms like I used to. I used to love laying awake with my arms around you, just watching you sleep." 

Brenda didn't say anything, she just stared into Sonny's eyes. Finally, she pulled away from him and patted the space beside her. 

"Come here." She invited. "Just for a minute." 

Sonny paused, but then did as he was told. He crawled into the bed beside Brenda and gathered her close. 

She snuggled her head against his chest. 

"See," she whispered, "just like it used to be." 

"Yeah, just like it used to be." Sonny echoed, his arms tight around her. 

He knew that it was wrong, dangerous. But it felt so good to hold Brenda, he had been dreaming about it for years and now it had finally happened. 

Any thought but those of her were driven from his head. He ran his hands down her body, surprised to find that he still remembered what it felt like. It was like as if it was only yesterday that he had last held her, instead of four long years. 

Brenda smiled up at him. "I've dreamed of this moment for so long." She whispered. "Of laying here in your arms, just like always. It feels like I never left." 

"It does." Sonny agreed, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. 

The kiss soon got out of control as Brenda wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down to her, drawing him deeper into her spell. 

Without meaning to, his hands slipped up under the t-shirt she had worn to bed and he caressed her stomach and then moved upwards to cup her breasts in his hands. 

"Sonny, are you here?" 

The voice gave them a moment's warning and broke the spell. Sonny pulled away from Brenda as the door opened and Jason entered. 

Jason took a quick look at the state of the bed and at the flush on both of their faces and quickly guessed what happened. 

"Carly's downstairs." He said quietly. "She saw that you weren't at home, so she figured that you must have come here." 

"I needed to talk to Brenda." Sonny said, standing up. 

"I can see that." Jason said dryly. "Well, I just thought I'd tell you Carly's looking for you." 

With that he left. 

Sonny stood there torn. He knew that he should go downstairs to his wife, but a part of him wanted to stay with Brenda and continue what they had started. 

"Go." Brenda said softly. "Carly needs you. Besides, if you stay, something'll happen and that will be bad for both of us." 

"Will it?" Sonny asked with a grin. "I mean, as far as I can remember it was never between us. Only good, very good." 

Brenda laughed slightly. 

"That it was." She agreed. "It was so good, but it can never be like that again. Sonny, if I feel you like that again, then I'll never be able to leave and we both know that I have to." 

"Do you?" Sonny asked. 

"I do." She said softly. "No matter how much it hurts, I believe it's for the best." 

Sonny stood there for a long moment, looking at Brenda. He knew that it would only take one touch to have her in his arms, bending at his will. 

But, he also knew that she had a point. As sweet as it had been, things had changed. And there was a woman downstairs who deserved better than that. 

He bent and placed a gentle kiss on Brenda's forehead. 

"What we had, it was magic." He said as he straightened. 

"It was." Brenda agreed softly. "But magic never lasts, in the end reality intrudes and burns out. That's just how it is." 

Sonny smiled sadly and nodded in acknowledgment, before he turned and walked away. 

He went downstairs and found Carly waiting for him. 

"Jason told me you were here." He said quietly. 

"I got worried when I woke up and realized that you had never come to bed." Carly said softly. "I went downstairs and you were no where in sight, I figured you must have come here and I was right. How long did you sit by her bed, Sonny?" 

"Not very long." He told her softly, not bothering to deny what he had been doing. "Carly, I needed to talk to Brenda. Ask her some questions." 

Carly didn't say anything. 

"If you want out, I'll let you go." She said finally. "The moment you ask me, I'll let you out. I won't keep you trapped in this marriage if you don't want to be." 

"Carly..." Sonny said, shaking his head. 

"No." She said softly. "I mean it, if you want to be with her, I won't hold you back." 

"Carly, I'm happy." Sonny said gently, placing his hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. "You're my wife and I love you." 

"But not like you loved her." Carly said with a slight smile. "Don't even try to deny it." 

He couldn't, because they would both know it was a lie. 

"I love you differently." Sonny told her honestly. "And you're who my life is with now. Carly, Brenda is my past, she'll always be that. But the past is the past and we can't be together now. We both know that." 

As he spoke, he wondered how things would be if Brenda wasn't dying and determined to leave again. Would he be able to resist her? He doubted it. 

Carly didn't look convinced of his words. "Are you trying to tell me that when you watched her sleep, you didn't long to have her in your arms?" 

"Of course I did." Sonny told her. "Brenda and I share a history and a part of me will always want her. But I knew that it couldn't happen." 

"Because she's dying." Carly said bluntly. 

"And because I have you and Michael." Sonny told her. "My life is with the two of you now. I know that." 

Carly looked like she was pondering his words. Finally she nodded, and crumbled into his arms. 

"I love you." She whispered. "So much. But I meant what I said, if you want out, I'll let you go. I won't try holding you back." 

"I don't want out." He told her and then he claimed her mouth in a kiss, to prove his words. 

But even as their lips met, he couldn't help but think about the kiss he and Brenda had shared a few minutes earlier and for the first time since they met, he compared Carly's kiss to Brenda's. 

And despite himself, he couldn't help but find Carly lacking.   
*** 


	7. Part Six

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Six

Alcazar paced his hotel room. 

His men had been unable to find Brenda anywhere. 

Though, the minister at the church where she and Corinthos had married, remembered seeing her. He said that she had left with a man. Corinthos, no doubt. 

"Damn it." Alcazar muttered. 

This was not how it was supposed to go. Brenda wasn't supposed to make it back to Corinthos. 

Now, his entire plan was in danger. 

As long as Corinthos didn't know Brenda was still alive, Alcazar had the advantage. 

Corinthos was fighting blind and Brenda was safe in Alcazar's possession, because Corinthos wasn't fighting for her. 

But now... Now that the other man knew that his adored wife wasn't dead, he was bound to fight for her tooth and nail. 

The only real advantage Alcazar had, was that Brenda believed that she was dying and she was determined not to put her loved ones through the Hell of watching her die. If he could get to her soon, he might be able to convince her to come away with him again. 

But, if she learnt the truth, then he knew her well enough to know that would convince her to leave Port Charles again. 

She would stay and fight tooth and nail for Corinthos and there was no way his new marriage would stand a chance against the opposition that Brenda would put up. 

Alcazar smiled. 

Maybe that was the way to do it. Go to the second Mrs. Corinthos and try to convince her that unless she helped him her marriage was doomed. 

Alcazar smiled. Maybe all wasn't lost after all. 

He might be able to salvage things and get Brenda back where she belonged.   
*** 

Carly flipped through the channels on the television, trying to find something to occupy her mind. 

Sonny was with Jason, discussing what they were going to do about Alcazar and Brenda. 

Brenda. 

Carly's mind turned to the brunette bombshell. Sonny's greatest weakness. 

Carly was realistic. She knew that she and Brenda were in different leagues all together. 

Brenda was the kind of woman that drove men crazy. Carly was attractive, but she wasn't the kind of woman that men went to war for. She didn't bewitch them like Brenda did. 

It was crazy. The way Jax and Sonny had once fought over who would have possession of her heart and hand. The way Alcazar was now obviously willing to kill to keep her. 

Carly had never seen anything like it before and she wondered how she could honestly expect to compete with a woman who had that kind of power over men. 

_But I don't have to._ She reminded herself. _Brenda isn't here to stay. She's dying. She just came to warn Sonny and as soon as the danger has passed, she'll disappear again and she'll be out of both of our lives forever._

As much as she tried to remind herself of that, she couldn't help but worry. 

She had always known that Brenda had a power over Sonny that she, Carly, could never break. However, she had believed that Brenda was dead and no longer a threat. 

But now, now she knew differently and couldn't help but worry that her entire life was about to fall apart and that nothing she could do could stop it...   
*** 


	8. Part Seven

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Seven

"What?" Robin Morgan gasped into the phone. "Jason, you're kidding right?" 

Robin had called her husband to check in and make everything back home was okay. But also because she missed him like crazy and wanted to hear his voice. But she had never imagined that Jason would have news like what he had just told her. 

"No." Jason told her. "I'm serious, Robin, Brenda's still alive." 

Robin shook head. 

"Wow." She said after a minute, then she paused. "How did Sonny take it?" 

"He was shocked." Jason told her. "And hurt, but he understood why she stayed away." " 

Well, _I_ don't." Robin said, overwhelmed by hurt that her best friend could let them all believe that she was dead for so many years. 

"Robin, she's dying." Jason told her. "She has the disease that her mother had. By the time she recovered from the accident, we all thought she was dead and then she learnt that she was dying and she decided that since we all already thought that she was dead, she would save the pain and just stay away." 

Robin listened to the words and shook her head again. A part of her understood what Brenda had been trying to do, but she was still overwhelmed by the news that the other woman had been alive for the last four years and never contacted them. 

"Why did she come back now?" Robin asked. 

Jason paused. "Robin, Brenda's the woman we saw who was involved with Alcazar." He told her after a moment. "He rescued her and she's been with him for the last four years. She came back to Port Charles because she learnt that he was trying to kill Sonny and she wasn't going to allow that." 

"Wow." Robin repeated. "This just keeps getting better and better." 

She paused, as a thought occurred to her. "How did Carly take the news?" 

Robin wasn't overly fond of the other woman, btu she knew that she made Sonny happy and that counted for a lot. 

Jason sighed. "Hard. Especially since Sonny's still drawn to Brenda. He tries not to be, but you know what's it like between them." 

"Yeah." Robin agreed quietly. "What about Brenda, how does she feel? Does she want Sonny back?" 

"No." Jason said definitely. "She loves him, oh, there's no doubt about that, but... She's still determined not to let him watch her die. Especially since he's built up a new life and found happiness again. She's made it clear, that she doesn't want to change that. She wants him to be happy." 

"She always did." Robin said softly. "But, I don't know. If it was me, I don't know be able to leave you again." 

Jason was quiet for a moment. 

"I don't know if she will be able to either." He said finally. "Robin, the way they look at each other... It's like it always was." 

"You don't think she'll leave?" Robin asked softly. 

"No." Jason told her. "I honestly don't think she will be able to. But I'll tell you this, even if she does, things will never be the same." 

There was a long silence as they both pondered his words. 

"I want to come home." Robin told him finally. "Please? If Brenda does intend to leave, I want to see her before she does." 

Jason was quiet. "Robin, it's too dangerous." 

"Jase, she's my best friend." Robin pleaded. "I need to see her again." 

Jason sighed. "All right. I'll talk to Sonny about you coming home." 

"Thank you." Robin said softly. "I know you're worried, but I need to do this. I can't let her leave again without at least talking to her one last time."   
*** 


	9. Part Eight

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Eight

"Robin wants to come home." Jason told Sonny. "She says that she wants to see Brenda before she leaves." 

"I can understand that." Sonny said softly. "Did you tell her it's still dangerous?" 

"Yeah, but she didn't care." Jason said bluntly. "She wants to see Brenda and nothing will stop her." 

"I'll send the jet." Sonny said, then paused. "Should I bring the kids home too?" 

"It's up to you." Jason told him. 

Sonny paused again, thinking it over. He missed the children and didn't really feel comfortable having them so far away if Robin wasn't there to watch over them. 

It wasn't that he did have faith in Letticia, the children's nanny, it was just that with things so uncertain he would rather have them under the care of himself or someone very close to him, like Robin. 

Also the idea of letting Brenda see Addie was very tempting. 

However, he was also afraid of how hard it would be on all involved. If Brenda saw her child, would she really be able to leave again? 

And how would he explain to Addie that her Mommy had come back, but then had to go again? 

"I will." He said, against his own better judgment. 

Brenda was Addie's mother and she deserved to see her, if only for a moment.   
*** 

"Robin and the kids are coming home." Sonny announced. 

Carly smiled. "Oh, that would be wonderful. But why?" 

She knew that Sonny had sent them away because things in Port Charles were so dangerous, so why was he bringing them back before the danger had been resolved? 

"Robin refuses to stay away now that she knows Brenda's alive." Sonny explained. "And I don't feel comfortable having the children there without Robin." 

Carly was quiet for a long moment. 

"What about Addie?" She asked softly. "If she comes back how are you going to keep her from Brenda?" 

"I'm not." Sonny said quietly. "Carly, Brenda's her mother, she deserves to see her." 

The words were like a knife in Carly's heart. 

She had always known that Brenda would always be Addie's mother, but as much as the knowledge hurt, she could live with it, because she was the one who was Addie's life. But now, now she would have to share the little girl she loved so much with her biological mother. 

"But wouldn't that be too hard on Addie. I mean to see Brenda and then have her leave?" Carly asked, trying to keep the pain out of her voice. 

Sonny was quiet for a long moment. 

"I thought about that." He said finally. "But I decided that Brenda deserves to see her daughter." 

Brenda deserves. 

The words rang in Carly's mind. She knew what was going to happen. 

This was all going to spin out of control so quickly. The power Brenda had over Sonny was so obvious, even now. 

"If you ask me, I don't think you should do it." Carly said quietly. "But, obviously you aren't asking me." 

She then turned and walked away, knowing that Sonny was probably staring after her, but not caring. 

As she headed upstairs, she was struck by the knowledge of how happy she had been only a week ago. 

Now, it seemed as if her entire life was falling apart and there was nothing she could do about it. 

Nothing except stand by and watch as Hurricane Brenda destroyed her safe and happy life.   
*** 

"Sonny, hi." Brenda answered the door to Jason's Penthouse and let Sonny in. "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." Sonny told her softly. "At least I don't think so. Brenda, sit down." 

Brenda did as she was told and looked up at Sonny curiously. "Yes?" 

Sonny sat down beside her. "Brenda, Robin and the children are coming back to Port Charles. Robin desperately wants to see you." 

Brenda's face lit up. "Oh, I want to see her too!" 

The idea filled her with joy. She had missed Robin so much in the last four years and was eager to see her again. 

Then she processed what else Sonny had said. 

"The children are coming back?" She asked softly. "Addie?" 

Sonny nodded. "Yes." 

Brenda closed her eyes, not even daring to hope. 

"Will you let me see her?" She whispered desperately. 

She would understand if Sonny said no. She knew realistically it would probably be too hard on the child to see her and then have her walk away again. 

But at the same time, Brenda yearned to see her child. 

"Yes." Sonny said softly. "You're her mother Brenda, I'd never keep the two of you apart." 

Tears filled Brenda's eyes as she threw her arms around Sonny. 

"Thank you." She whispered. 

"You're welcome." Sonny said softly, holding Brenda for a long moment. 

She just stayed there in his arms for a long moment, unable to contain her joy. She couldn't believe it, she was finally going to be able to see her baby girl again.   
*** 


	10. Part Nine

Chapter Nine

"Daddy!" 

Sonny smiled as his two children ran into his arms. He hugged them both. 

"Hey there." He said affectionately. "I've missed you." 

"We've missed you too!" Michael and Addie chimed in unison. 

"Hey, I've missed you guys too!" Carly chimed. 

Michael and Addie ran to her. 

"Mommy!" 

"Aunt Carly!" 

Carly gathered the children close to her for a long moment. Once she released them, she turned to Michael. 

"How would you like to spend the afternoon with me?" Carly asked him. 

"Yeah!" Michael said enthusiastically. 

"Me too?" Addie chimed in. 

Carly shook her head. "No Darling, you're going to spend time with Daddy, okay?" 

Addie nodded. "'Kay." 

Sonny smiled at Addie as Carly and Michael left the room. 

"Give Daddy a few minutes and then he'll take you across the hall and show you the surprise he has for you." Sonny told his daughter. 

Her brown eyes so like her mother's lit up. "A surprise?" 

Addie loved surprises. 

Sonny smiled affectionally. "Yes, a surprise." 

The very best of surprises, or at least he hoped so.   
*** 

"Look at you!" Brenda cried as she hugged Robin. 

She had waited upstairs for a few minutes, to give Jason and Robin time for a private reunion, but had come downstairs as soon as Robin called for. 

"You look great." She said sincerely. 

Robin smiled. "Thanks, you look fantastic yourself. I still can't believe I'm seeing you." 

"Me neither." Brenda confessed, hugging her friend once more. "I've missed you **so** much." 

"I've missed you too." Robin told her. "We have a lot to catch up on." 

"We do." Brenda agreed. "Later." 

Just then there was a knock on the door. Brenda held her breath, knowing what was on the other side. 

Jason opened the door and let Sonny and Addie in. 

Brenda stared at her baby girl with tears in her eyes. 

"Addie." She whispered emotionally. She was even more beautiful than Brenda had imagined. 

Addie just stared at her and then looked up at Sonny. "Daddy?" 

Sonny knelt down so that he was on the same level as the little girl. "Honey, remember how I told you your Mommy had to go away, even though she didn't want to? And how if she could come back, she would?" 

"Yes." Addie said softly. 

"Well, she was finally able to come back." Sonny said quietly. "She didn't think she would be able to, but she was." 

Addie looked at Brenda then with wide eyes. 

"You're my Mommy?" She whispered. 

Brenda nodded. "I am and you're my baby girl." 

Addie ran into her arms. "Mommy!" 

Brenda gathered her child into her arms. "Oh Addie, my baby." 

Brenda was barely aware of Robin and Jason leaving the room, all her attention was focused on her child. After so many years, she was finally able to hold her. 

"Oh, how I love you baby girl." She whispered. "I've missed you so much." 

"I've missed you too." Addie said softly. 

Brenda smiled tearfully at her child and just held her close. She wondered how she would ever be able to leave her now that she finally found her again.   
*** 

Carly listened to Michael's excited chatter, all the while wondering how the scene across the hall was going. 

She wondered how Addie had reacted to see her mother alive and well. 

She didn't have to wonder about Brenda's reaction. As a mother, she could only imagine how hard it had been for the other woman to leave her child and the joy that she felt at having her back. 

A joy matched by the agony that Carly felt at losing Addie. 

She knew it was silly, but that it was also true. 

Even though she was never Addie's mother, she had been the maternal figure in the little girl's life. Now she was losing that role to Brenda. 

Addie was Brenda's daughter and she always would be.   
*** 


	11. Part Ten

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Ten

"Aunt Carly!" 

Carly smiled as she heard Addie's excited voice. "I'm coming, honey." 

She came downstairs to meet the girl. She wasn't surprised to see Brenda there, holding Addie's hand. 

"Aunt Carly, have you met my Mommy?" Addie asked eagerly. "She's come back!" 

"I know honey." Carly said softly. 

Addie beamed. "I'm gonna show her my room." 

"Okay." Carly said, watching as Addie dragged Brenda up there. 

The two of them looked so happy. And so right. Just like mother and daughter. 

"This is my room." Addie said proudly, showing Brenda around. She picked a teddy bear up from the bed. 

"This is Riley." She said, hugging the bear close. 

Brenda's eyes filled with tears as she recognized the teddy bear that she had bought the day she found out she was pregnant. 

"I gave that to you." Brenda said softly. 

Addie nodded. "I know. Daddy told me." She smiled. "Daddy said that as long as I had Riley, I would always have something to remind me of how much my Mommy loved me." 

"I'm glad." Brenda said softly. "I wanted to be with you so badly, but I couldn't." 

"I know." Addie said with childlike trust. "But you're here now." 

"Yeah, baby girl, I am." Brenda agreed, but her heart ached, because she knew that she couldn't stay forever. 

No matter how much she would like to. Addie deserved more than a mother who would slowly go insane. 

Besides, she would not allow herself to harm her daughter. No way, no how. She would kill herself before she'd let that happen. 

Sonny stood in the doorway and watched as Addie showed Brenda all the things in her room. 

It looked so right to see them together. Mother and daughter. 

Sonny had imagined this scene for years and couldn't help but feel moved. His daughter and his... Wife. 

Sonny suddenly thought of something. Brenda wasn't dead. That meant they were still married, which meant that his marriage to Carly was invalid. 

Uh oh. This wasn't going to be fun. 

Carly was going to flip when she realized that they weren't legally married because he was still married to Brenda. 

Sonny just closed his eyes and hoped that he could get out of this with as little pain as possible.   



	12. Part Eleven

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Eleven

That evening, after the kids were in bed, Sonny invited Robin, Brenda, and Jason over for dinner. The three reluctantly accepted the invitation. 

Brenda had stayed at the Penthouse all day and had helped him put Addie to bed. The little girl hadn't wanted to spend a single moment apart from her newly found mother. 

"Something smells good." Carly said, wrapping an arm around Sonny. 

Brenda shifted in her seat uncomfortably and Robin patted her hand. 

"Lasangne." Sonny answered, though his eyes were on Brenda. 

Just like he had hoped, her face lit up. "My favourite." 

"I know." Sonny said softly and could feel Carly's displeasure. "I figured it's been a long time since I made it for you." 

"Yeah." Brenda said and Sonny could tell that like him, she was remembering the last time he made her lasangne. 

It was the night the doctor gave her the okay for them to make love again after Addie was born. Quite a night indeed. Their eyes met and it was a long moment before Sonny could tear his gaze away. 

"Yum, lasangne definitely sounds good." Robin said, breaking the awkward silence. She patted her belly. "The little one definitely likes that idea." 

"Sounds like someone else." Sonny said, looking teasingly at Brenda. "I seem to remember that you were always craving it." 

Brenda laughed. "It wasn't me." She argued. "It was Addie, can I help it if that's what she wanted?" 

Sonny chuckled warmly. "You know, it **is** her favourite." 

"See!" Brenda defended with a smile. "Told you it wasn't me." 

Sonny smiled in return and was caught up in the intimacy of the moment. It was just like old times, with one glaring exception. 

Carly stood up. "I'm going to check on the kids." She said in a tight voice, sweeping out of the room. 

Sonny watched her go, knowing that he couldn't blame her for being angry, but unable to help being drawn to the woman he loved first. 

Carly paused outside of Addie's room and closed her eyes. 

The last thing in the world she wanted was to go downstairs and see how perfect Sonny and Brenda were for each other. 

Every word that had been said so far just seemed to underline all that the two of them had shared. She was definitely the odd one out down there. Jason, Robin, Sonny and Brenda had been a foursome long before she entered the scene and that ease never went away. 

It was so easy to see what Sonny and Brenda had been and she knew, without a doubt, that she couldn't compete with that. 

She kept telling herself that she wouldn't have to. That Brenda was leaving once it was safe, but... 

She was still terrified of losing the life she loved so much. And she knew that if anyone could take it away from her, it was Brenda... 

The rest of the night went by fairly smoothly, though there were a few awkward moments. 

Brenda had to keep telling herself that everything had changed and that Sonny belonged to Carly now. He'd never be hers again. He couldn't be hers. 

She for one was glad to see the evening come to an end. As they rose to go, she paused. 

"I'm just going to look in on Addie before I go, all right?" She asked softly. 

Sonny nodded. "Of course." 

Brenda headed up the stairs and entered her daughter's room. 

She just stood by the bed, looking at the sleeping child. Her daughter. Her one beloved baby whom she had missed so much. 

She had no idea how long she stood there staring at her daughter, but eventually she became aware that she wasn't alone. She turned and saw Sonny standing there, watching her. 

"This looks so right." He whispered. "You here with our daughter, it's the way it should have been all along." 

"Sonny." Brenda whispered, looking at him mournfully. 

"I know." He said quietly. "But, I used to imagine it, all the years you were gone I used to imagine you in this room, with me and our child and now you are." 

"I imagined it too." Brenda confessed. "And now that I'm here it breaks my heart to know that soon I'll have to leave again." 

There was a long moment of silence and Brenda turned back towards Addie. "She's so beautiful." 

"Just like her mother." Sonny whispered, his hand on her shoulder. 

Brenda let herself get lost in the fantasy for just a minute. She had dreamed of this for so long, but she knew that it couldn't last. 

Finally she pulled away. "I have to go, Sonny." She whispered. "We both know that I can't stay." 

They both knew that she wasn't talking about just that night. Their eyes met and Brenda knew all she'd have to do was lean in and touch him, but she knew that she couldn't. 

Not now, not ever. 

Instead, she wrenched herself and forced herself to walk out the door, away from the husband and daughter she loved more than life.   



	13. Part Twelve

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Twelve

"Brenda, are you okay?" Robin asked not long after the two of them had returned to Jason and Robin's apartment. Jason had stayed to discuss business with Sonny. 

"No." Brenda whispered, looking at her friend. "Robin, for a moment it was like every dream I've had these last four years had come true. I was standing there with Sonny, watching our sleeping daughter and then I had to walk away. I can't stay and that thought is killing me." 

Robin looked at Brenda with a sympathy. She understood how her friend had to feel. 

She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to walk away from Jason and the baby, be away from them for four long years and then come back, only to have to leave again. She thought that it would probably kill her. 

Just like it was killing Brenda, Robin realized. She could see the agony in the other woman's eyes, the longing. All Brenda wanted was to be with her husband and daughter, but she knew that wasn't possible. 

"Oh, Brenda." Robin whispered, her voice full of sympathy. 

Brenda shook her head. "Don't. I've accepted it, I accepted a long time ago what my fate had to be, I just didn't think fate would be so cruel as to bring me back to the life I can't have." 

There was a long moment of silence, before Brenda broke it. "I need to get out of here, go for a walk and clear my head." 

"Brenda, you can't, it's too dangerous!" Robin exclaimed. 

"I'll take one of the guards." Brenda assured her. "Robin, I just need to clear my head. Being cooped up inside is killing me. All I can think about is what I can't have." 

"Okay." Robin said reluctantly, knowing that neither Sonny or Jason would be pleased, but also knowing that her friend needed this. "Be careful." 

"I will." Brenda promised. "Don't worry." 

Alcazar couldn't believe his luck. He had prowled outside the Corinthos' building, like he often did at night, looking for some sign of Brenda. 

He knew that she had to be up there, but so far Corinthos had done a good job of keeping her under lock and key. 

But tonight had been different. There she was walking outside. There was a bodyguard with her, but Corinthos himself was no where in sight. 

Alcazar decided to take his chance. "Brenda." 

"Luis." She said, shock colouring her tone. She glanced at the bodyguard who reached for his weapon. 

"I'm not here to hurt you." He assured her. "All I want to do is talk." 

"Why don't I trust you?" Brenda questioned wryly. "Could it be because you tried to have my husband killed?" 

Still, despite her words she put out her hand, motioning for the bodyguard to stay where he was. 

"I was wrong." Alcazar said, knowing that if he was going to convince Brenda to come up with him, he'd have to sound regretful. "I was just so jealous of Corinthos." 

"Why?" She asked softly. "Luis, you know better than anyone that I left that life behind me." 

"I know." He told her. "But I just let my jealousy and my fear get to me. You love him and I was just afraid that he would find out somehow that you still lived and take you from me." 

"Sonny knows that I'm lost to him." Brenda whispered. 

"Does he accept it though?" Alcazar challenged. "Do you really think he'll let you go?" 

"He has to." Brenda whispered. "For everyone's sake." 

"I was also thinking of the child." Alcazar told her. "If Corinthos was dead, I could take her. He would never allow that, but without him it would have been easy and you could have your daughter with you." 

"And hurt her as I slowly went insane?" Brenda challenged, her eyes filled with unshed tears. 

"I would have protected her, kept her safe." Alcazar told her. "I would never allow you to hurt her Brenda. I would have protected her, as I intend to protect you. I love you, I'd never harm you and I love your daughter because she's part of you." 

And she was. Alcazar had seen pictures of the child and she was the image of her mother. That was why he had been able to bear the idea of having Corinthos' child with him. 

"Yet you were going to kill Sonny and cause us both so much pain." Brenda whispered. "How can you excuse that?" 

"I wasn't thinking." Alcazar told her. "I let my feelings get away with me and for that I'm sorry." 

He wasn't lying. He was sorry, sorry that his plan had blown up in his face. Nothing had played out the way he had intended it too. 

"I love you Brenda." He told her, stepping towards. "It was good between us these last years and it could be good again." 

Brenda just stared at him. 

"Come with me." He whispered, reaching out to touch her face. "Come with me now and we'll go far away from here, never to come back." 

Brenda didn't say anything, just stood there, not accepting his touch, but not rejecting it either. 

"I'll protect you, take care of you just like I promised." He told her. "I'll make you happy and I'll make sure that you don't hurt the ones you love, all you have to do is come with me." 

Jason left Sonny's and noticed that Marco was gone. Johnny was there alone. 

"Where's Marco?" 

"He accompanied Mrs. Corinthos, I mean Miss Barrett, on a walk." 

"She went for a walk?" Jason asked in disbelief. Of all the stupid things to do. 

Now he remembered what irritated him most about Brenda, her recklessness. She had spent enough time as Sonny's wife to know the rules, yet she disobeyed them to suit her own purposes. 

Jason sighed and decided to go after her. Once he got outside, he saw her standing only a few feet away. 

Marco was with her, standing slightly behind Brenda. Jason then caught sight of a third person. 

Alcazar was standing there, his hand on Brenda's cheek. 

Jason moved closer and could hear Alcazar's words. 

"Come away with me." The other man said seductively, he removed his hand from Brenda's cheek and instead held it out to her. 

Jason saw her pause, as if torn. 

"Brenda!" He called out, not being able to stand it for a second. 

She turned and Alcazar's spell was broken. "Get away from me." She whispered, turning from Alcazar. 

He shrugged. "Very well, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me." 

And with that, he disappeared into the shadows. 

"Go back to the penthouse." Jason ordered Marco, who nodded and walked away. 

Brenda and Jason were left by themselves. 

"It would have been so easy to go, to let him take me away again, even though I know it's wrong." Brenda whispered, breaking a long silence. 

"Sonny would never have allowed it." Jason informed her. Then he paused, deciding to voice the thought they both had. "He's not going to let you go, he might think he'll be able to, but he won't." 

Brenda didn't say anything, just stood there looking tortured. Jason didn't say anything either, he just motioned for her to come. They walked in silence back into the building. 

Jason's mind was on the disaster he knew was coming. Brenda's return had changed everything and Jason knew that things could never be what they were. 

**LiasonFan**- Thank you. I love Sonny and Brenda too and that's why I couldn't resist writing this. Again, thank you, I'm glad you like it. As for Carly, wait and see. She'll certainly be tempted. 

**Melissa**- Thank you, I'm glad you like it. 

**estrella424**- Thank you. I'll try. 

**ghsoapfan82**- I'm glad you like it. I have every intention of continuing it, it's a high priority for me. I found the idea fascinating, that's why I wrote it. 

**Carmeldelight113**- Thank you. There'll definitly be lots more chapters. This one's gonna be a long one, I think. I will and I'm glad you like it. 

**Allie**- Thank you. I will. 

**Leslie**- Thank you so much. 

**Samsonlove**- Thank you, I'm glad you feel that way. I'll try to update more often. 


	14. Part Thirteen

The Road Not Taken   
By Misha 

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Thirteen

Brenda paced Jason's living room. 

She couldn't sleep. 

It was just so impossible. The life that she dreamed of was right there, hers if she wanted it. 

Except it could never be hers again. It wasn't fair. 

All she had ever wanted was to be with Sonny and now here she was, he was just across the hall and so was their beautiful little girl. 

Except, she couldn't be with them. She knew that, it just hurt so bad. 

Suddenly, the door opened. Brenda turned to see Sonny standing there. He entered the living room, closing the door behind him. She could read the anger on his face. 

"Jason told you." She said softly. 

"Yes, he did." Sonny answered. "What were you thinking Brenda? Or were you thinking?" 

"I wasn't." She told him. "I just needed to clear my head... Tonight was so hard..." 

"I know." Sonny told her. "Don't you think it was hard for me too? Seeing you, being in the same with you and not being able to have you?" 

"I didn't mean for it to happen." Brenda told him. "I never intended to come back here, to do this to us." 

"No, you just intended for me to suffer like I have these last four years, believing that my heart was buried in a watery grave." Sonny said, moving so that there was almost no distance between them. 

He reached out and took her face in his hands. "No matter what it does to me, I can't be unhappy that you came back, because you're alive." He whispered, looking into his eyes. "Don't you realize how much that means to me? More than anything in the world." 

"I thought that by staying dead, I was saving you." Brenda whispered, reaching out to touch Sonny's face. "You'd already lost me, so I figured that was easier than coming back and making you lose me again, in such a terrible way." 

"It'd be worth it." Sonny told her huskily. "To have you back, even for a moment, would be worth anything." 

They stood there, staring into each other's eyes. 

"I've dreamed of this for four years." Sonny told her, caressing her face. "I've dreamed of you coming back to me. I'd close my eyes and I'd see you, then I'd wake up and you'd be gone and my heart would break all over again. Every night since you left, it was the same thing." 

"Oh, Sonny." Brenda whispered. 

They looked into each other's eyes, all the emotion of four years written there. 

"I love you." He told her for the first time in four years. 

"I love you." She whispered in return, her hand still on his cheek. "I have for as long as I can remember. You're part of me." 

Sonny leaned forward and kissed Brenda's forehead. "To have you back, even for a moment, to know that you're alive, that you're light still shines, that means the world to me." Sonny told her. "I can forgive you for robbing me, us, of the last few years, because just having you back is the best gift I can ever imagine." 

"Sonny..." Brenda whispered, tears in her eyes. "It's not..." 

"I know, it's not the same and it's not forever, but right now, it's enough." Sonny told her, leaning down to kiss her gently. 

It was a tender, but powerful kiss, packed with four years worth of love and longing. The kisses they had shared the other morning had been passionate, fueled mainly by desire. This kiss was different, all the love they had ever felt for one another was poured into it. 

When they pulled apart they stared at each other, finally Brenda smiled sadly and stepped away. 

"Goodnight Sonny." 

Sonny nodded and turned to go. 

Brenda watched him leave and when he was gone, she made her way over to the couch and collapsed in tears. 

It was never supposed to be this way. She was never supposed to have to let him go. He was hers. He was all she had ever wanted and she couldn't have him. 

No matter how much she might want him, he could never be hers again and that knowledge broke her heart.

* * *

**YH**- Thank you for the wonderful compliment and I'm glad you like this story. I thought it was a neat twist, asking what would have happened had Sonny never left. 

**DarkAngelGuardian**- Brenda was always my favorite too and I loved Sonny and Brenda, so I felt I just had to write this. I'm definitely still working on my GH stories, it's just taking me a while. 


	15. Part Fourteen

The Road Not Taken  
By Misha

_See Prologue for Disclaimers and Notes._

Chapter Fourteen

Alcazar paced his hotel room.

He had come so close to having Brenda back. If Morgan hadn't shown up, he believed she would have given in and come with him. That meant that there was still a chance of doing things the easy way.

However, he doubted that Corinthos would let her out of his sight again, once Morgan told him what happened.

That meant, that he was going to have to work on a Plan B. But how was he going to steal her out from under Corinthos nose?

The other man wasn't going to let her go without a fight, Alcazar knew that. He couldn't imagine any man letting Brenda go willingly, but that was okay, he was prepared to fight for her. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he wasn't going to let her slip away from him.

No, she was going to be his again, no matter what he had to make sure of that.

* * *

Carly stood on the foot of the stairs.

It was dawn and once again Sonny hadn't come to bed. He hadn't slept in their room since he had found out Brenda was alive. Instead, he spent all night staring out the window.

She felt so helpless, so trapped. There was nothing she could do, just watch as her husband and his former wife as they were irrevocably drawn to each other.

The weird part was that she knew that she really had nothing to fear, at least in one sense.

Brenda would walk away in the end, because she'd convince herself it was for the best and Sonny would let her because she wouldn't give him a choice. Brenda would leave and Carly would keep her man.

But she wondered if that wouldn't perhaps be a little bit worse. She'd have Sonny, not because he wanted her, but because he couldn't have the woman he did want.

She wasn't sure she could handle that, but she also knew that she couldn't handle not having Sonny at all, so... In the end, what choice did she have?

* * *

Jason came downstairs and saw Brenda staring out one of the windows. She looked so miserable.

"Brenda?" He said quietly.

She didn't move.

"It's so hard," she answered instead, acknowledging his presence, "I'm an outsider in my own life. I've come back, but it's not my mine anymore and I can't even fight for it."

Jason was silent, not sure what to say. He had never really liked Brenda, but he hated seeing her in pain. After all, the situation wasn't fair to anyone. Not Carly, not Sonny and not even Brenda.

"If you weren't sick would you fight for it?" Jason asked her softly.

"Yes." Brenda answered promptly. "I'd win too, we both know that. But I am dying, so it's a moot point."

"Sonny would stand by you." Jason pointed out quietly. "He'd take care of you."

"I know he would." Brenda agreed. "I never doubted that for a second, but Jason I can't do that to him... I can't make him watch me go insane."

"I think it should be his choice." Jason said quietly. "Not yours."

"Jason-" Brenda began.

Jason cut her off, "just like it was my choice to marry Robin even though I know someday unless we find a cure, I'm going to watch her die."

Brenda was silent.

"But it's worth it." Jason continued. "I wouldn't give up our time together for anything and what ever happens, I'll never regret what we got to share."

"And you think Sonny would feel the same way?" Brenda asked quietly.

Jason looked her straight in the eye. "I know it and if you're honest with yourself, so do you."

* * *


	16. Part Fifteen

The Road Not Taken  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Chapter Fifteen

Brenda had spent the entire day and most of the next night thinking about her conversation with Jason. She knew he was right. If she had ever given Sonny the choice, he would have chosen to stand by her throughout her illness, to cherish the time they were given. She knew that, but four years ago it had seemed easier to stay away.

Brenda now wished with everything in her that she had made a different choice, but what could she do about it? Sonny had a life with Carly, how could she mess that up when she could only offer Sonny a few more years before things started going badly?

Yet, how did she walk away from the man she loved more than life itself? Besides, Sonny was **her** husband, not Carly's. After all, Brenda being alive meant that Sonny wasn't married to Carly, not really, because you couldn't be married to two women at once. So, even if Brenda chose not to stay, she'd have to grant Sonny a divorce before he could remarry Carly.

_Could I do that?_ She wondered. _Could I divorce Sonny?_

She knew that the answer was no. It was one thing to play dead and let Sonny move on, but it was another all together to sign the papers and let him go. She couldn't do that.

Brenda shook her head. He was hers to lose and she couldn't let him go, that meant she had to fight for him.

"He's my husband," she whispered out loud, "and he's going to stay that way. Watch out Carly, I'm back and I'm going to get my man!"

* * *

"We're still married."

Sonny turned around to see Brenda standing behind him. It was early in the morning and once again he hadn't been able to sleep.

"Yes." He acknowledged. "We are." He looked at his wife, the love of his life. "What do you want to do about it?"

"NOthing." Brenda told him. "I know I should sign papers, let you go. But I won't. I can't."

Sonny was a little surprised. "I thought you didn't want me to see you die." He said bitterly.

"I didn't. Maybe I still don't." Brenda told him. "But I'm not strong enough to walk away and Jason made me realize it's not just my choice. I made the decision four years ago to walk away and that wrong, but I made it because I didn't want to hurt you, yet I did anyway. So, now, I'll let you make the decision. I know I forfeited all my rights as your wife four ago and if you want a divorce... If you don't want me, I'll leave, but if you do..."

She trailed off and looked at him with those big dark eyes. Sonny didn't know what to say, he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her passionately. Yet, it was more complicated than that. There was Carly to consider and Michael. He had made a commitment to them.

_But you made one to Brenda first. _A little voice in his head pointed out.

Brenda seemed to see his indecision and smiled. "I'm not asking you to choose now, I understand it's complicated." She said quietly. "But, I just wanted you to know that I love you, Sonny, and I want nothing more to spend the rest of my life with you and our daughter."

With that she turned and walked out of the Penthouse. Sonny watched her go, wondering what in the Hell he was going to do.

* * *

Carly could hear voices downstairs. She started down and froze when she saw Brenda and Sonny together, talking in voices too quiet for her to make out their words. She watched as Brenda left and then waited for a minute before going downstairs.

Sonny turned at the sound of her footsteps. 

"BRenda was here." She stated quietly.

"Yes." He confirmed, he took a deep breath. "Carly... She..." 

"She wants you back." Carly said flatly, having been afraid of this. How could any woman walk away from Sonny willingly?

"She said it's up to me." Sonny said quietly. "She'll give me a divorce if it's what I want." 

Divorce. Carly froze, the realisation hitting her. Brenda wasn't dead. She was still Sonny's wife, not Carly, their marriage was invalid. Carly thought she was going to be sick. The one thing keeping her going was the vows she and Sonny had shared, but now they were meaningless. It was the ones he and Brenda had taken that mattered...

Carly had felt better with the idea that to go back to Brenda, Sonny would have to divorce her, put her aside, but the opposite was true... To stay with her, he'd have to divorce his precious Brenda.

"Will you?" She asked after a moment. "Ask her for a divorce?"

Sonny looked uncomfortable. "I don't know." He said after a long moment. "Carly... It's not that simple. I love you and the life we have and Michael, but..."

"But I've never compared to the ghost of your precious Brenda, right?" Carly said bitterly. "I understand. Just think about it, Sonny, think about it carefully before you throw something real and good away for a memory."

* * *


	17. Part Sixteen

The Road Not Taken  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Chapter Sixteen

"I'm not giving Sonny up without a fight."

Brenda looked up at the words and saw Carly standing in her bedroom door.

"Neither am I." She said quietly.

"You walked away." Carly told her angrily. "What right do you have to come back now?"

"I walked away because I thought it was for the best." Brenda defended. "But, maybe, I was wrong. Maybe, Sonny deserved the choice."

"He's _mine._" Carly said, glaring at Brenda.

"That's not how the law sees it." Brenda pointed out. "Legally, I'm Sonny's wife, not you."

She knew it was cruel to say, but it was the truth.

Carly turned white. "You're a real bitch, aren't you?" She demanded, glaring at Brenda.

"I just fight for what's mine." Brenda told her quietly. "And Sonny is. He always has been."

"We have a good life together." Carly argued, her teeth clenched. "I've made him happy."

"I know." Brenda said quietly. "And I'm grateful for that, but I still think I can make him happier." She looked Carly in the eye. "Can you honestly tell me that what you and Sonny have compares to what we had?"

Carly was quiet for a long moment, obviously trying to think up an appropriate answer.

"That's what I thought." Brenda said quietly. "Sonny once asked me why I'd settle for a spark when I could light the world on fire and now it's my turn to pose that question. You and Sonny might have passion, but he and I... We lit our world on fire."

"Playing with fire gets you burned." Carly said quietly.

"But it's worth it." Brenda replied with a slow smile. "Its always been worth it."

* * *

  
"Can you find out if one of the other two Penthouses are available?" Sonny asked Jason. "Or if they could be soon."

Jason looked at him. "Any particular reason why?"

Sonny sighed. "I want Carly and Michael to have a place that's their own, that's safe."

Jason was silent. "You're asking Carly for a divorce?" Jason asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We're not married." Sonny told him quietly.

Jason blinked and then realisation dawned. "You're still married to Brenda."

"Yes." Sonny confirmed and then he sighed. "I'm not leaving Carly and picking Brenda, but... Brenda told me that if I want she'd give me a divorce, but that it's not what she wants, and..."

"You don't know what you want." Jason said quietly.

"No." Sonny confirmed and sighed. "I made a commitment to Carly and to Michael, but... I made one to Brenda too."

It was hard, because he didn't just feel torn between two women, but between his children as well. He loved Michael as a son, had made a commitment to be his father, and surely that meant staying with his mother?

On the other hand, didn't Addie deserve a chance at having a real family with her father and mother? How many nights had he wished that Brenda had lived, that they'd had a chance to be a proper family? Now that that wish had come true, how could he turn his back on? Especially when she still set his blood on fire?

"Carly's made you a good wife." Jason said quietly.

"I know." Sonny agreed, feeling guilty.

"But..." Jason continued. "There was always something missing, wasn't there? As hard as you tried with Carly, it wasn't the same. She wasn't Brenda."

Sonny was quiet, acknowledging the truth of Jason's words. "You think I should be with Brenda?" Sonny asked in surprise, since Jason had never been a big Brenda fan.

"Carly's a better wife for you, for this life." Jason told him. "But, Brenda... You love her like you've never loved anyone else and I'm just not sure you'd ever really be happy if you had a chance of a life with her and you walked away."

Sonny was silent, realizing the truth of Jason's words. He loved Carly, he really did, but Brenda... She was his destiny and he knew in that moment that he could never walk away from her, not when he had been given a miracle.

* * *

  
"I bought Penthouse 4 for you." Sonny announced. "So that you and Michael will have a secure place to live."

Carly looked at him in horror, realizing what he was saying. "You want me to leave." She whispered. She'd been dreading this moment for days, since she'd heard Brenda was alive. From that first moment she had known deep down how it was going to end.

"Carly..." Sonny began and then took a deep breath. "She's my wife." He said quietly.

"So am I." Carly protested. "But that doesn't matter does it? I'm not your _real_ wife. Not legally and not in your heart. I was always just a substitute for your precious Brenda."

Sonny was silent, not even bothering to deny her words. Carly felt like the bottom was being sucked out of her whole world. But, then, apparently it had never really been her world to begin with, it had been Brenda's and she'd just been borrowing it.

"I've been a good wife." Carly protested. "We have a good life together, Sonny. You can't deny that."

Sonny was quiet and looked at her with something akin to pity. "Carly..."

"No!" She protested, hating that look in his eyes. "Don't say it. Don't pity me!"

She couldn't believe this was happening. Sonny was her husband, they had a life together, and he was throwing it all away for a woman who had walked out on him?

"What about Michael?" She asked tearfully. "What am I supposed to tell him?"

"That I love him and I'll always be there for him." Sonny told her.

"Oh, so it's just me you're ditching." Carly said bitterly. "You think he'll understand why you don't live with us anymore? Why you suddenly have a new wife and new family?"

"Carly, don't do this." Sonny said quietly.

Carly hated this, hated that he wasn't fighting with her. Passion had always been their strong suit, but even that was denied her now. He just looked eager to be done the conversation, to put her and their marriage behind him.

"How long do we have to be out of here?" She asked bitterly.

"Take as long as you need." Sonny said uncomfortably. "I thought... Well, I was going to take Brenda and Addie away for a few days."

Carly nodded bitterly. "Fine. We'll be out within a week and we'll figure out visitation."

She wanted to fight, to scream, but it was getting her nowhere. Sonny was completely under that woman's spell, but Carly wasn't done fighting. She'd free him somehow, she just had to figure out how.

* * *


	18. Part Seventeen

The Road Not Taken  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Chapter Seventeen

"I asked Carly to move out of the Penthouse."

Brenda froze at the words. She was in Jason and Robin's living room, while they were out with the kids. She whirled around to look at Sonny.

"Does that mean...?" She asked hesitantly, barely able to believe it.

He'd asked Carly to leave, it must mean... He chose her!

"I've never been able to walk away from you." Sonny confessed, moving towards her and putting his hands on her face. "I try, but... I always come back, because you're in my blood."

"You're in mine too." Brenda told him, tears in her eyes. "Forever."

Sonny nodded and leaned down to kiss her passionately. "How long will Jason and Robin be gone?" Sonny asked when they broke apart.

"Long enough." Brenda told him, holding out her hand to her husband. Her husband! It felt so good to think those words and to know that they're time apart was over.

Sonny took her hand and then pulled her towards him again for another passionate kiss and then, when it was done he allowed Brenda to lead him up the stairs.

Once they were in her room, they shut the door and just looked at each other for a long moment and then, slowly, they began to undress one another, savouring every second. Every touch, every caress was precious.

"You're so beautiful." Sonny whispered as he stripped her of her last piece of clothing. "Even more than I remember."

"Ditto." Brenda whispered, running her hands over Sonny's naked body.

"I've dreamed of this." She whispered, as he lowered her to the bed.

"You haunted my dreams every night since you left." Sonny told her, trailing kisses down her body.

After that there were no words spoken for a while as they got reacquainted with each other's bodies. Brenda drank in every kiss, every caress, barely able to believe that it was real. But it was, and finally, she and Sonny tumbled towards oblivion together, screaming out one another's names as they clung together.

"I love you." Sonny whispered when they finally broke apart.

"I love you too." Brenda whispered, running her hands all over his body.

"We need to replace you're wedding ring." Sonny commented, looking at her bare hand.

"Luis... He threw it out." Brenda told him. "At least I think he did. It was gone when I woke up after the accident."

"Mine's in a box, I've never been able to throw it out." Sonny told her and for the first time she saw that his hand was also bare, the ring that Carly had given him had been removed.

"I'm sorry about your mother's ring." Brenda said softly.

"Its okay." Sonny told her. "You're more precious than any ring. Maybe we should get new rings, for both of us?"

Brenda smiled. "I like that."

The old rings, the old vows were precious, but...

"We could renew our vows." Sonny said, wrapping his arms around her, as if reading her thoughts. "As soon as we can tell people you're back, make it a big celebration, of your life and our new life."

Brenda liked the sound of that. Their wedding would always be precious to her and in her heart the vows had never been broken, but they had been apart and well, maybe a fresh start wasn't a bad idea.

"I'd like that." She told him. "A fresh start for our second chance."

Brenda snuggled in Sonny's arms and wondered if life could get any more perfect. She was back in Port Charles, back with Sonny and her daughter and they were about to start their new life together.

Yes, she was still sick, still dying, but... At least, she'd be able to spend whatever time she had left with the people she loved most. That was something. In fact, right then it felt like everything.

* * *


End file.
